How We Tested Bathroom Scales

We tested over 25 different bathroom scales to help you choose the most accurate one for your budget and lifestyle. Read on to see how what we looked for in our tests, and see which scales made the cut.

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A bathroom scale is essential in maintaining or losing weight and research has proven that self-weighing daily, rather than once every week or month, can be associated with lower body mass index levels in women 40 years or older. Bathroom scales have come a long way since their analog days. Most have become digital and many are now equipped with body fat analysis tools which measure body fat percentage.

The CEE department of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI) evaluated household bathroom scales in order to determine which are most accurate and with the help of consumers the lab tested their ease of use.

What We Looked for in Bathroom Scales

The engineers at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, and consumer testers, evaluated bathroom scales for performance and ease of use. They looked at:

GHRI worked with the fitness club, theClub, in the Hearst Tower to determine the body fat percentage of four testers using body fat calipers. The testers then measured their body fat percentages on each of the body fat scales to compare how accurate they were.

GHRI weighed each scale's maximum weight capacity to determine if it would hold the weight for 30 seconds.

Engineers placed each of the scales in our climatology chamber for an hour with the temperature and humidity set to 75F and 80% Humidity. After being exposed, the scales were checked to see if they were still operable.

Consumer testers were asked to step on each scale and evaluate its display readability, ease of turning it on and off, and their satisfaction with its platform.

Consumer testers were asked to rate the ease of inputting their personal information (sex, age and weight) into the scales.

Since you can't take a scale home and check it for accuracy, the next most important thing to look for in a scale is its platform size and readability. You need to be able to stand on the scale without losing your balance and read your digital scale. Make sure that the digital scale's readout is clear, and in a location that is easy to see. Make sure that when you stand on it you can see the numbers clearly without having to move around or stand in an awkward position. If there will be more than one person using the scale at a time, it may be beneficial to purchase a scale with the ability to track multiple users previous weightings.

Tips for Using Bathroom Scales:

Your body weight naturally fluctuates during the day depending on what you eat. For example, foods high in sodium may cause some people to retain fluid, which will show up temporarily on the scale as weight gain.

Weigh yourself on the same scale each time.

Weigh yourself at the same time of day.

When you weigh yourself, wear the same amount of, or no, clothing.

Tips for Using Body Fat Scales:

Only use them to measure your progress; our results proved that it is probably inaccurate no matter what the manufacturers say.

Choose body fat scales that have the right profile for you. If you're an athlete (you perform 10+ hours of strenuous exercise a week), make sure it has an athletic setting, as it plays an important role in analysis.

Measure yourself at the same time of day for each test.

Your skin temperature affects the electrical current used by the scales. Try to test yourself in a room with a similar temperature each time.